The Lord, Land and Men (Part A)

Inheritance ideally usage of these passages is a loved one, leaving something for loved ones and God says why not leaving you an earthly allotment. I'm leaving you with the spiritual and that they were unlike all the other tribes. And then when during the Golden age of the priesthood.

They took great honor that as I should have. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 7, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 13 as he begins his message the Lord land and man Joshua chapter 13 will get to chapters the Lord the land. The men that is what were going to be looking at and this now begins with chapter 13 the second half of the book of Joshua not numerically so, what the story is divided the conquests in the first 12 chapters and now they're still conquests taking place, but the emphasis is shifted to the allotment of the land that has been conquered, so it's not so much the battles that will going to be looking at what the Jewish people did with the land after they had ousted much of the enemy.

The closing chapters give us a few challenges that the Jews gent then faced once the land was so divvied up and that's what it is now time to divvy up the land. The east side of the Jordan, the un-promised land that the 2 1/2 tribes receive Ruben Gadd and half of Manasseh will come to that, the Levites, they they get no land and it is part of the story from the book of Joshua that every part of our life every section in our soul has to go through war if it's going to be belong to the Lord if it's going to fulfill the directive. The commission that we have read this in chapter 12 justice just these words just paint the picture for us in the mountain country in the low lands in the Jordan plane and the slopes in the wilderness and South and then he goes on to name the inhabitants but every nook and cranny. You could say of the promised land is where the battles were taking place.

And so it is in our own lives struggle is a part of con conquest to struggle. Life is conquests. Deuteronomy 20 verse one. When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Imagine if you are a new recruit at this time in Israel's history.

Your Aladdin now you of age to enter into military or tribal plan and you're now heading out to the battlefield for the first time in your scared out of your mind. Perhaps some veteran who's been at many in many of these campaigns looks over and asked this your first battle lad and he says yes is more than much courage as he can pull up and the veteran says to him, the Lord will fight our battles. The Lord was is with us in spite of your fear in your clumsiness, your failures, your inexperience, personal stupidity, which I have no shortage of the Lord is with you when you go out to battle against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, or if I see this folly in my own heart. Well I have a fear that is the beginning of knowledge because it is the fear of the Lord, and this is what the book of Joshua was supposed to be about to us. They never did, completely subdued, but they did subdue the llama they never purged it. That's I don't know of any Christian that is gone to heaven completely purged of sin through warfare. Only the blood of the Lamb.

That's what cleanses us, but it is supposed supposed to work and it does work in tandem with our own relentless struggle against evil. Resist the devil resist him, resist him, whether he flees or not. Resist him.

Verse one. Now Joshua was old advancing years and Yahweh said to him you are old advancing years and there remains very much land yet to be possessed, I know all coming from you is a double head coming. A classmate is a you know you're over your old coming from God, your old advancing years that that's got a comical. I wonder if the scribe recorded these events. Much of it you know all from Joshua when Joshua tells about seeing the commander of the Lord's army are good. Joshua was alone. It tell it to somebody put it down on paper. Whoever compiled the final record gets to this point is a chuckle. I hope so anyway I Joshua is at this time is about 100 years old little bit more.

By the time we get to the conversation would with Caleb is about 103 years old, give or take a year more like give one and yet is expected to still go to war. Joshua you all and advanced in years.

You still have to fight that's what he's telling him being old is no reason to stop serving God treats Joshua not so much as an old man, but that there are things to do is an urgency about his command, and this is another lesson we give just from verse one, and Joshua, you old St. – we all just rest and pass the mantle on he says keep going. I think I think as hard as it is pastor should stay in the pulpit until it dead.

I don't enemy to the messages Ted what you might get some of that to morning Westerners Joshua chapter 1 the Jews wanted rest. They most certainly did on this. The interesting part of the story here you have this old man and he's ready to still go and then you have the young men in the middle-aged ones and then not so ready Joshua and Caleb are still talking for still pulling at the nail ready to go to old war horses.

Every man and woman of God should be like that. Lord what he wanted to is a very simple prayer. Paul the apostle Paul taught us when he was converted. Who are you, Lord, what you want me to do that, the story of our lives as Christians we open our Bibles, who are you want to know you more, Joe Jeremiah chapter 9.

I want a Boston anything is that I know you that I understand you and your mercy. There remains very much land. He says yet to be possessed no matter how long we serve. There's more to possess.

There's more territory to take in our lives and as I read earlier in the hills in the mountains and the valleys where we find find ourselves still very much territory to be possessed not is nothing be possessed is to possess verse two. This is the land that yet remains all the territory of the Philistines.

All of the girder.

She writes one of these people just leave you know that the resistance is futile out of his chest gold heavenly themes juggernaut of the W Hebrews coming across the land, winning every fight. They engage a I was is that Bagley dealt with AI. Two reasons judgment and Joshua Levin were told goddess is letting them he's not giving them any incentive. There is no spiritual assistance to get those people out of the language. God knows the judge them. He's got them right where he wants them. He wants them stopped. He doesn't want them spread spreading to other lands. That's one reason why they're still here, God said you going to drive them out what is going to use human swords to do it mostly, I mean there was a whole agile on event with the sun stood still and the hail came down but the other is the processes that are our taking place. The land cannot take the shock of just this giant this nation just pushing out one putting in another. So Canaan's resistance would be part of Israel's development and those of the dynamics. The forces that are pushing against each other why God did not just rained fire and brimstone on all the land he could've done it would've been spectacular if you were watching not you were a victim of it and so yeah they greatly had overcome their enemies and taken possession of many cities and villages, but they did not dispossess and conquer or wipe out all of them.

Verse three from Sizemore which is east of Egypt. As far as the border of Akron Northwood which is counted as Canaanite five lords of the Philistines, God cites the Ash.-ites Ashkelon Knights to get tights Akron nights. Also, the advice and on tempted to do also to silly little things I'm not but these five major cities of the Philistines there very active in the days of David and beyond to get familiar with them because once we get through the ruse. I can't wait to get to two Samuel and David the most electrifying section of the Old Testament in many ways those sections of the life of those characters, but the one I want to single out the get tights. These were Philistines. That's the city of gas with Goliath was from Goliath was the giant of Gath later in the book of Samuel. During the days of David when his son Absalom is trying to get him and kill him.

David is fleeing Jerusalem with his forces to get his troops together for the battle is fleeing for his life and he leaves Jerusalem. Of course, at one point he crosses to know the Brooke Kidron's head is covered. He's weeping is barefoot. He's devastated.

He's brought this on himself.

He feel so terrible about these events but then there's that to either get tight. That says that's there with his troops.

He is you and you picture him either on a stallion or or just armed with armor and he standing there. David said this is not your fight and he says wherever you are. Life or death grip of the Lord.

My king is there I will be also. You have to read that you said that's the guy I want to be throughout my life. It's all heart is so hard close to these things that used to be little Bible stories challenges hear the voice of the filthy devil. I dare you to try to be a man like that. I had no choice but to go ahead and take the day or its AI from Gath. You would think he says you know this is the guided took out our hometown hero, but evidently anti-himself is not only sick of Gath love David David had that in spite of his flaws was Amanda love God so much.

You be a written stood next to him, you catch it was portion of it even even homicidal maniacal Saul.

David would start strumming that thing and all of a sudden Saul was just sort of put in a trance.

All the evil to be a man like David leave the bad stuff but anyway, that does an outstanding note here the get tights and later we will come across its AI of one of my heroes in the Bible just for that single speech and we don't read of him again after that, which suggests he died on the battlefield against Absalom.

Well, verse six, we can go down to next all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as the Brooke Ms. riff off and all this I don't hands them I would drive out from before the children of Israel only divided by lot to Israel as an inheritance. As I have commanded you, so there's the commandment to divide the land to continue to drive out the enemy's guts as I would drive them out when I would've said was an enemy by sword Penny Dugan improve on what you do and that's not how it is anything God calls us to do, and assist us with. We have a role in that process and we should, we can we can mess it up. You know someone says you know God has a plan for your life will add to that, no mess it up because it is within our power with so when God says I will drive them out. He means with the sword of his people, you know, again we get to Samuel we find the man fights for his being field we find warriors there swinging their swords so so hard and soft and they cannot let the sword go, it's it's stuck to their hand existed, but other than nerves are just locks up spasm from swinging the sword so much and God will use the sword of his people. That's how he's going to drive them out and unfortunately the people with so many victories developed a false sense of safety.

They became silent in their witness because it was so satisfied with their surroundings here go the book of judges depressed the most depressing book in all the Bible I think the first the first three chapters of very difficult chapters to read is not as far as what all the hard words.

I mean circumstances so the lessons that come out of these things is that the nation does not find a dozen when if the church does not fight doesn't win if an individual Christian does not fight, they do not win that is the stark lesson from this classroom. In the book of Joshua, and I can say over the years.

This churches sort of the developer fighting force of its own you. You know what's expected of you and and you're doing it and failures of the air within their body has him which will cover on Sunday.

So if we are underweight when we step on the scale of the word. It is because we've not been eating right and it is our responsibility to stay fit and in shape spiritually as it is physically verse seven. Now he says now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and 1/2 and half tribe of Manasseh divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the truckers the other to make 12 of course the other two have tribes there on the east side of Jordan nice talking to those who coming to along the west side. The promised land itself. Verse eight a incidentally today on the east side of Jordan is the kingdom of Jordan and you can of course see it from Israel can't get hit a rock. I tried, no I didn't. Anyway, I'm getting the confuse of my neighbors house please music loud.

Nor does right well Esco verse eight with the other half tribe. The room nights in the get-ites receive their inhabitant inheritance, which Moses had given them beyond the Jordan Eastwood as Moses the servant of Yahweh had given them all of that just to get to Moses the servant of Yahweh where I'm getting adjusted to the Bible just in those early days. He keeps telling us he was a servant of God, a servant of God. What is it mean to be a servant of God is more than just sent out an abstract somewhere is a lot more that's needed God's people, and again that's the divine directive to the tribes and removed verse 12, all the kingdom of our log of the Sean who reigned and asked her and agree I remained of the remnant of the Giants. Moses had defeated and cast out these reports there is a Way Way Way, Moses had already dealt with Giants and one so now coming to the promised land. This time they had more incentive. Caleb was there. Part of that really get Caleb a little while and Caleb of course when he says give me the land.

The goddess told me I can have Caleb makes his choice.

I want the land with a giant software will cover that bit to get rolling to it.

And L.

Also, that would've you know, the day after the juice we can't take the promised land, and they go on the copper Giants outside sort of rebuke and a lesson to those coming up verse 13 nevertheless the children of his or did not drive out the girlish-ites or the monarch and-ites maraca my archetypes, but every water water, put the cursor rights in the my archetypes dwell among the Israelites until this day. So long after the compiler puts the historian puts this story together for us. He saying it is still here.

We we never got them out, and that's gotta sting a little bit though this the facts legal to do this reality. Just make sure you try to be blameless before the Lord in the midst of those things as best we can and what we cannot be blameless with we see that mercy.

So the individual tribes now will have to drive out the various villages and cities that remain instead of it being a concerted effort with all the nation and all the force bearing down on city such as Jericho and AI. Now it's tribal you got you the going to get there territory is whatever Canaanites are in that land, you've got to get them out and will get to some of that in the book of Judges return to that yeah there are some that think of.

For example, the church is to do for them what they can do for them with eight with they can do for themselves. We don't have a lot of that here we have your people tried and but that's us said said way to go through life shunting your responsibilities and trying to get it out of God's people again. They had become satisfied so they stop pressing.

Getting enough land to say you know what we can live from the comfortable here in this valley. We've taken this communal plateau… And I will why fight anymore to sit back, relax, am sick of all the killing faucet. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus while he was in jail he still pressing beware that we don't ever think that we can be spiritually satisfied like I don't know exactly don't recall whom coined this word this phrase but God is easily please, never satisfied.

What a challenge I mean is just because in this right. It is true the demands of life to stone allow us to capture rest here. There's rest remains with the people of God in heaven.

So tired of fighting as they walked were wanting peace wasn't the right time, they stop short of the commandment of the directive from God. They lost the momentum of the iron was hot.

They had the nations of the land ready to be defeated in the they backed off. They were saved. More than likely, as a rule, they were saved. He felt safe with and they were also satisfied at the wrong time and that contributed to the lag and then the defeat and then the corruption in the checkered history of Israel. You know, we went to Kings how the brain chronicles how depressing it is, you get a good king yeah and then all of a sudden you know the next one comes in the next two, three, or just rotten.

All of the north were terrible and it makes for heavy-duty reading anyways as they dwell among the Israelites until this day, never fully purged verse 14 only to the tribe of Levi. He had given no inheritance. The sacrifices of Yahweh God of Israel made by fire. Are there inheritance and he said any said to them of as he said to them, Joshua chapter 18 verse seven makes another comment on this.

The book of Joshua keeps putting this out there for us. We don't lose sight of these is what the Levites have no part among you for the priesthood of the of Yahweh is there inheritance.

Gad and Ruben and half tribe of Manasseh, shall receive their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them so God says to the Levites, the priest and the servants that are from Levi descendents you don't get an inheritance.

I am your hair and what what's in inheritance inheritance. Ideally usage of this these passages is a loved one, leaving something for loved ones and God says why not leaving you an earthly allotment.

I'm leaving you with a spiritual one. And in that they were unlike all the other tribes and and when during the Golden age of the priesthood. They took great honor in that as I should have when we get to Ezekiel we find out that in the millennial kingdom priest in the Levites will have their allotment just outside Jerusalem. There will be the priest and then there'd be the Levites and they'll have their pastors for their cattle in the setup was presented to us how much of that some of that. It may seem symbolic of the seemed literal will be there to find out why. Gotta get back to new Jerusalem must Christ later because because new Jerusalem will be the same thing as Jerusalem.

Two different two different entities whipsaw to be like a Shekinah in a hovering heavenly light. Anyway, they will be scattered throughout the land as we find them in the book of Joshua in the cities of refuge will be centered on the place of worship.

And that's the idea of the roof of the Levi they were to be centered on worship for the nation.

This is not a church to nation church models or assembly like we have after the the Jewish synagogue that came after the captivity, but were we take many lessons from them. But do we have to make sure we understand Israel is Israel, the church is church and the not the same thing and in the law of Moses for rights for the writers is irreconcilable with the law of the New Testament.

The blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

Not a bad Lamb right so verse 15 Moses had given to the tribal children of Ruben and inheritance according to their families were on the East Jordan tribes now verse 22 the children of Israel also killed with the sword.

Fallon, the son of your soothsayer.

Among those who were killed by them. So that's why we considering in this approach of the word Lord and because he's overseeing all of it in the land and the man. Now we we come to balance that enigma of the Scripture. In many ways.

So after turning against God. What came of the saucer. That's what he's telling us we kill them. What happened to Mallow is remembered in the service they are not a problem of God was improper for a time there Peterson. He was an insane prophet. Thanks for tuning into cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified each new edition of cross reference radio.

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